The Jungle Book (2016) – IMDb

Theatrical Poster

Directed by Jon Favreau. With Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba. After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan forces him to flee the jungle, a man-cub named Mowgli embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of panther, Bagheera, and free spirited bear, Baloo.

Source: The Jungle Book (2016) – IMDb

Chilling in the Jungle yo

The Jungle Book stars Neel Sethi as Mowgli and is directed by Jon Favreau. It has the voice talents of Ben Kingsley, Christopher Walken, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, and Bill Murray. It is a live action adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling book. I had relatively high expectations going into this film because of the tons of rave reviews that had started to surface prior to opening night, and Jon Favreau also made a comment about this film being the most technically advanced film to date. This movie is quite good but it is even better if you remember, when watching this, that it was shot entirely on a soundstage in L.A. You really feel as though you are seeing the Jungle. Neel Sethi is fantastic in this as Mowgli. It is quite a challenge to be the only live actor in a film and to constantly react to nothing. He pulls it off nicely. My favorite part of this movie is Bill Murray as Baloo. He is the comic relief and he turns in quite a memorable performance. It is the Bill Murray that we haven’t seen in quite some time.

My BFF

 

My only negative is a musical number that is performed in the middle of the film that feels completely out of place. It is the only real and full musical number performed in the film and feels as though it was only thrown in there for nostalgic reasons. Those people that are fans of the Disney animated version will recognize the song but I feel that the inclusion of the song damages the overall experience of the film.
Before I end this review I want to talk a bit about Idris Elba as Shere Khan. He absolutely owns this role and is terrifying. It is completely chilling every time his

Idris Elba

character is in a scene. It was a fantastic job and a terrific villain.

 

I give this film 4.2 out of 5

Christopher Walken

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) – IMDb

The Trinity

I wasn’t sure I even wanted to review this movie. The reactions to this film have been completely divisive. Most critics have generally panned it. I, however, really enjoyed this film. It’s not a perfect movie but perfect movies don’t exist. Unlike most BvS supporters I’m not going to say that the people who didn’t like it simply didn’t understand it. I’m not going to insult anyone’s intelligence and I wouldn’t want anyone to insult mine. I will, however, note that this movie does take multiple viewings to completely understand. If you are a fan of these characters and a fan of the DC universe in general I think you will enjoy this film for what it is, eye candy made just for you.

 

Robin oh Robin

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, Gal Gadot, Lawrence Fishburne, Diane Lane, and Jesse Eisenberg. It takes place directly after the events of Man of Steel and its plot is directly related to the destruction of Man of Steel. Visually this movie is absolutely beautiful. It is stunning and epic in every single frame. The performances are generally above par with a few exceptions. I’m not a big fan of the way Henry Cavill delivers dialogue. Every line he says seems contemplative and has a delayed delivery. I believe this technique has merit but is completely rendered useless by the fact that it is every single line. Jesse Eisenberg’s performance is very cartoonish in a film that is otherwise very serious and dark. He seems like he is trying too hard to be creepy and sinister. In other words he looks like he’s acting. I’ve had several viewings of this film and his character gets harder to watch with each viewing. The rest of the performances are relatively pretty good with Ben Affleck and Jeremy Irons being the standout performances to me. Ben Affleck is a far superior actor to Henry Cavill that it becomes painfully obvious in every scene that they are in together.

Come get some Bats

 

The introduction of Wonder Woman is very epic and a highlight of the movie. I can’t explain the feeling you get as a DC fan to see the trinity up there for the first time. The fight scene with her Batman and Superman against Doomsday is amazing. It takes a long time to get to the action in this film but by the time you do it is really worth it.

I give this film 3.8 stars out of 5 and I recommend that everyone sees it at least once

As you can tell I’m really Buff

The Nice Guys (2016) – IMDb

“The Nice Guys” is a film about a muscle-for-hire that pairs with a private eye to find and protect a missing girl. This film stars Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as the aforementioned duo. This film is definitely a character piece, which is not surprising because that’s what director Shane Black does best. All of the characters are extremely well researched and relatable but my favorite character in the film is the city of Los Angeles in the 1970’s. The city comes alive with the sights and sounds of an era gone but not forgotten.

The next thing worth noting is the chemistry between the two leads. They seem to be really enjoying themselves while making this film and that comes off on screen. They also seem to really enjoy working with each other. The bond that is formed throughout the course of this movie feels very organic and genuine.

 

The writing is very intelligent in this modern film noir. It very much feels like watching an old Bogart movie, such as “Maltese Falcon.” I do however have a few negatives for this movie. At times the pacing of the film slowed down a bit too much and there got to a point where the film was being pushed forward solely by expositional dialogue. Thankfully that doesn’t last too long and we get back to the good stuff. This movie has a solid R rating and for good reason. There is a lot of violence and nudity that you should be aware of, definitely not a film for the kids. Adults only please.

 

I give this film 4 out of 5. I really enjoyed it and I urge everyone to go out and see this.

Daredevil (TV Series 2015– ) – IMDb

Daredevil (TV Series 2015– ) – IMDb.

I’m writing this review as a movie review instead of a series because of the unique format of Netflix. They release an entire season at once, so in my way of thinking that makes it a 13 hour movie and not a serial.

The first thing I want to comment on is the unbelievable casting of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk AKA Kingpin. Charlie Cox plays the character of The Daredevil in a very understated way. He’s quiet and contemplative and would normally get drowned out in a cast like this except for his undeniable natural charisma. He is impossible not to watch, even if he is not the focal point of a scene your eyes are drawn to this actor and this character. He really makes you believe that a blind man might be capable of the heroics of Daredevil.

Vincent D’onofrio is amazing in this as well. He plays The Kingpin brilliantly. He plays him in such a way that you are not necessarily rooting against him. Of course he is the antagonist and you want Daredevil to defeat him but a small part is on his side because of the way the character is portrayed. He is a real flesh and blood guy, not the cartoonish version we got in the Daredevil film but a real person with real emotions behind his actions. He truly believes that he is on the right side of the story.

My expectations were extremely high prior to watching this and I wasn’t disappointed at all. I love the way they told the origin story but didn’t make it a focal point of the series. They tell the story in flashbacks and normally I prefer linear storytelling but in this case the former works better. The fight scenes are perfect in this series as well. Daredevil takes quite a few licks and keeps on ticking. The overall sense of the character is not that he is invincible but that not matter how banged up and cut up he gets he keeps getting up.

I give this 5 stars out of 5 for being the best thing marvel has done cinematically to date…….

Good Intentions

Here is the latest short film from Raymond Pierlioni “Good Intentions”

 

rpierlioni shared a Flickr album with you

We started filming good Intentions and here are some set pics from the first day of shooting. This short film will only require one additional shoot day so look forward to the next installment of set pics.

Good Intentions by rpierlioni on Flickr.

Just follow this link to see and comment on this album:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/127624893@N03/m2H5zu

Popeye (1980)

Popeye (1980) – IMDb.

 

Popeye Movie Poster

I’m continuing my periodic reviews of Robin Williams’s films and the latest review is of the 1980 film Popeye. There is only one reason to watch this movie, Robin Williams. This movie is actually pretty terrible but Robin is great. I remember watching this as a kid and having a completely different impression of it. Popeye was one of my favorite cartoon characters as a child and if anyone was going to play that character I’m glad it was Robin Williams.

 Robin Williams portrays Popeye and arrives in the town of Sweethaven looking for his father. He meets Olive Oyl, played by Shelley Duvall, and the rest of the gang. He also ends up looking after a baby in a bizarre turn of events. It is not that different from the cartoon in most aspects. There is a ton of singing (way too much) and the film is very campy. Robin Williams does the Popeye voice perfectly and his obnoxious brand of humor, although toned down for this, is hysterical. He has some very clever one-liners that you have to pay attention for because they happen really quick and told under his breath. Shelley Duvall is ok as Olive Oyl I guess but for some reason she just annoys me really quickly.

Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall

The lowest point of the movie would have to be when Robin in singing the Popeye the Sailorman song. It’s either that or when Popeye is in a fistfight with an octopus. Definitely not a movie aimed at intelligent adults. I give this movie two stars out of five for Robin Williams alone.

Robin Williams as Popeye

Admission (2013)

Admission (2013) – IMDb.

 

Admission Movie Poster

I just came across this movie and thought I’d give it a shot. Tina Fey plays an admissions officer at Princeton. She meets a college bound alternative school kid that she comes to believe is the child she gave up for adoption when she was in college. I watched this last night and just couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. I had to let it set in for a while. Although the plot is comical at times it still leaves little to be desired in the way of a good story. Tina Fey does an adequate job as does Paul Rudd in this film but there were a lot of plot holes going on and certain elements of the story were never fully explained. To be honest if I wasn’t watching for the purpose of writing this review I would probably not have finished it. Paul Rudd is one of my favorites but there isn’t a whole lot of depth to his character. A guy with the skills of Mr. Rudd could have brought a lot

Tina Fey in Admission

more to this film if the writers had given him the opportunity. I enjoyed Tina Fey in this movie but even her character, although more complicated than her co-star, is not really all that appealing to watch. The supporting characters in this film are a riot though. It is almost worth watching just for them but I can’t in good conscience recommend that you spend any money on this. I give it 2 stars out of 5.

 

Paul Rudd and Tina Fey

How Bad Do You Want It

I came across this video and I just had to share it with you guys. Probably the best motivational speach that I’ve ever heard.

Homefront (2013)

Homefront (2013) – IMDb.

 

Homefront Movie Poster

Not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination but it serves a purpose. You are not going to find any witty dialogue here or any super complex characters but what you will find is plenty of people getting knocked on their asses. What can I say about Jason Statham, I can’t get enough of this guy. Maybe it’s because I grew up during the 80’s and 90’s when we had action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. This movie definitely has an 80’s action movie feel

Jason Statham in Homefront

and I dig it. The story centers on a DEA agent responsible for bringing down a huge motorcycle drug ring. During the takedown the son of the leader of the bikers is killed and they hold Statham’s character (Phil Broker) responsible. He leaves the DEA and moves with his daughter to a little obscure town just trying to blend in but when your as good at kicking ass as he is blending in is not easy. To make a long story short the biker gang finds out his location and attempts to exact revenge.

This movie, written by Sylvester Stallone and directed by Gary Fledler, is filled from top to bottom with action. It is definitely a movie targeted towards adult males. You know the usual action junkies. The acting is mediocre in this film, even with names like James Franco and Winona Ryder to help carry the ensemble. Nobody in this movie performed up to the full caliber of his or her reputations. Jason Statham is adequate but how hard is it to act like your beating people up for a few hours a day. James Franco let me down a bit, his acting felt forced and not as though he was enjoying the experience. He seemed as though he would rather have been somewhere else. Winona Ryder is not that good in this piece either her acting also

With the local Sheriff

felt unnatural and it seems as though she forgot the cardinal rule of acting. Acting is about reacting, watch the movie and you’ll see what I mean.

All in all I give this movie 2 and a half stars out of 5

Bring on the ladies

World’s Greatest Dad (2009)

World’s Greatest Dad (2009) – IMDb.

 

World’s Greatest Dad Movie Poster

In remembrance of Robin Williams I’m going to periodically review one of his films. I had little interest in this film prior to Robin Williams passing but the circumstances of his death made it natural for me to gravitate toward this title. Robin Williams plays a high school poetry teacher and his son dies through embarrassing circumstances. To save his son’s reputation he fakes a suicide note. The suicide note is published in the school newspaper and his son becomes a cult hero.

This dark comedy directed by Bobcat Goldthwait is a bit unusual. The storyline is easy to follow but not all that

Robin Williams with Worlds Greatest Dad Mug

compelling. Robin Williams brings life and depth to an otherwise boring character. Even in a straight movie role like this Robin can’t help himself from delivering some memorable one-liners.

There is a bit of irony in this story, especially when Robin Williams looks into the camera and says, “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” You can’t help but squirm a little bit when you hear it.………Rest in Peace…….

I give this movie 3 stars out of 5

Getting Famous

Robin says Goodbye

God’s Not Dead (2014)

God’s Not Dead (2014) – IMDb.

 

God’s Not Dead Movie Poster

God’s Not Dead is a very ambitious piece of film by Director Harold Cronk. Before watching this film I checked a few reviews for it online and most of them were pretty bad. I’m not sure we watched the same movie. It was a very inspiring film about unwavering faith even when everyone disagrees with you. A college professor tells his students that he doesn’t want to have a debate over the existence of God and if they sign a piece of paper saying that God is Dead than they will pass that portion of the class. One student refuses to do so and is challenged to prove to the class

Kevin Sorbo In God’s Not Dead

that God does exist.

 The movie is not without it’s flaws. At times it does seem as though the dialogue only exists because of the end goal of the writer. A person will say a line and it’s apparent that they only said that to get the response. There are also a lot of moving parts in this movie. The main plot is the aforementioned but there are a lot of subplots happening at the same time. It’s all a bit overwhelming and it takes a while for you to understand the connection between the main plot and the sub plots. It does all come together nicely by the end of the movie though.

 There were a lot of good arguments brought up in this movie as to the existence of God. I did my research and could not find any information in this movie that was inaccurate. I applaud the

I can’t do it

filmmakers for that. It would have been easy to fill this movie with a lot of made up facts to support the main characters claim and because they didn’t the filmmakers have actually taken up the mantle and attempted to prove the existence of God. That is why I started off the review saying that this was an ambitious film. I am not going to argue theology here but I appreciate it when people stick to what they believe and will not be deterred and that is the essence of this film. The closing credits invite you to take up the mantle and text everyone you know “God’s Not Dead.”

 All in all I give this movie four stars out of five.

P.S. God’s Not Dead……………..

 

Newsboys

Green Screen Tips and Tricks From Ryan Connolly

I never miss an episode of Film Riot and if you haven’t seen it I suggest checking it out. Ryan Connolly is a Full Sail Grad and the tips and tricks he covers in his show are worth their weight in gold.

Maleficent (2014)

Maleficent (2014) – IMDb.

 

Meleficent Movie Poster

This is a re-imagining of the Sleeping Beauty story. It takes place from the perspective of Meleficent, the fairy who cursed sleeping beauty.

 I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Every second of it is visually stunning and completely epic. The story comes to life

She Curses the Baby

due to the amazing special effects and CGI work. The acting, however, is fairly mediocre with one exception. Angelina Jolie is brilliant. She steals every scene she is in and she leaves you wanting more. She plays an evil fairy that is only evil on the surface. Her evilness is a result of having been betrayed by someone whom she considered a friend. Even though she is the antagonist of the story you are still on her side for the whole movie. A character with that kind of dynamic is extremely difficult to play and nobody is better at that type of duplicitous acting than Angelina Jolie. She is a joy to watch and is the main reason for watching this movie. She so outranks every other actor in this movie that it isn’t even fair. I give this movie four and a half stars out of five for

Sleeping Beauty

her performance alone.

 

Angelina Jolie as Meleficent

Blended (2014)

Blended (2014) – IMDb.

 

Blended is another cookie-cutter romantic comedy from Adam Sandler. This movie is very predictable all of the way through and I couldn’t care less. It’s the kind of movie that makes you feel good on a bad day. It started off a little slow with out much chemistry between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore but that changes as the story progresses. Adam Sandler plays a widower who lost his wife to cancer and Drew Barrymore is divorced from a cheating husband. The movie opens with them on a blind date that goes very bad. Through the course of unusual circumstances they find themselves sharing an African vacation. You can probably guess the kind of hijinks that take place in Africa. The movie was relatively funny and

Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in Blended

adding to the comedy are the usual guest appearances that you would find in almost all Adam Sandler movies as of late including Shaquille O’Neal. I found this movie to be warm and inspiring and I recommend it for those reasons. If you are looking for brilliant writing and unusual plot twists than this movie is not for you. I give this movie four stars out of five.

 

Blended Publicity Still

Godzilla (2014)

Godzilla (2014) – IMDb.

 

Godzilla Movie Poster

Godzilla is a reboot of the franchise by the same name. The film, directed by Gareth Edwards, takes place in the present day; fifteen years after two chrysalises in a mine were unearthed in the Philippines. Inside of those pods were two radiation-eating creatures. Also awakened at the same time is a very large destructive predator known as Godzilla.

publicity still from the movie

The visuals are absolutely stunning and Godzilla looks better than ever. For all intents and purposes this movie delivers on exactly what it was supposed to do. It keeps us entertained with the mythic creatures we’ve known since childhood. The acting, however, was mediocre at best. I wish Bryan Cranston had been around in the movie a little longer but the acting ensemble got a push in the right direction just having him in it at all. I’m not going to harp on the acting too much though because it’s a monster flick and we don’t watch them to see academy award worthy performances. This movie could have benefited from a stronger storyline. It takes a while for the story to get moving and it’s not really anything that’s going to stick with you and worth remembering. After watching the film you’re going to remember

Godzilla

that Godzilla looked awesome and not much else. I give this movie three and a half stars out of five. If you liked this review please subscribe to my blog.

Godzilla

Draft Day (2014)

Draft Day (2014) – IMDb.

 

Wow what to say about Draft Day. Draft Day is centered around the NFL Draft and the main character is Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner). He is the General Manager for the Cleveland Browns. He has the opportunity to rebuild his team starting with trading for the number one draft pick. I just finished watching it and I have to say it is one of the best sports movies I’ve seen in a very long time. Ivan Reitman delivered a powerful football movie and didn’t have any football in it. It was a masterful work of art from all aspects. I particularly enjoyed the editing; I’ve never seen some of the editing techniques before. They used a lot of custom wipes for transitioning between locations but the way they were able to merge the two locations into one, especially during phone conversations, was downright brilliant.

 

Kevin Costner in Draft Day

This movie reminded me why I love Kevin Costner’s movies. He is on top of his game here and delivered a powerful performance. The kind of performance that only an actor of the finest caliber can muster. I really want to go into greater detail here but I don’t want to give away any spoilers and ruin the experience for any of you because I would be doing you a huge disservice. Another thing I really liked was the cameo’s that kept popping up. You literally had no idea which famous actor from Hollywood’s yesteryear would make an appearance next. This movie is full of famous people in bit roles and the one I recommend you watch out

Tom Welling in Draft Day

for is Sam Elliot. Cameos are fun for the audience but it’s important that they don’t distract from the story and they do it in a very clever way here. If you didn’t know to watch for certain people you might miss

them altogether. I’ve never given a movie five stars before, in a review, but there’s a first time for everything. I give this movie  5 stars for being completely inspiring.

Draft Day Publicity still

 

Greatness

The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John (2003)

 

The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John (2003) – IMDb.

 

The Gospel of John Movie Poster

I didn’t know what to expect when I started to watch “The Gospel Of John.” The one thing I did know was that it was three hours long. I had seen some good reviews for it on line and decided to give it what I call the ten-minute test. If after ten minutes I am not drawn into the story I’ll quit watching it and try something else. I was drawn into the story right from the very beginning and the three hours passed as though they were just a few minutes. I’m fairly familiar with the story of Jesus having been raised in the church and one of the things I dislike the most when it comes to movies that portray his life is when unnecessary liberties are taken. The gospels of Jesus were written a long time ago

Jesus on the Cross

and because of this they tend to be difficult to read or at least to fully grasp. That is not the case with this movie, every aspect of it was taken directly from the gospel of John and because of the acting and narration it is easy to follow and completely understand what is happening. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the way they portrayed the resurrection. They spent a considerable amount of time on Jesus after being raised from the dead and most other movies don’t. The resurrection is the most important part of the story and it deserves as big of a chunk of screen time as possible. If you believe in the bible and in Jesus than this movie is a must and if you don’t than I still recommend this movie because it is a realistic depiction of an eye witness account.

The Last Supper

 

 

All in all I give this movie 4 stars because they stayed true to the story.

 

 

 

In the Beginning

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) – IMDb.

 

Xmen Days of Future Past Movie Poster

All in all I really enjoyed watching this movie. I watched it with the purpose of writing this review but couldn’t help forgetting about that and just getting caught up in the story. The way they chose to bring past and future generations of the X men together for a singular purpose was downright inspiring. They told a story which brought enemies together with a single goal of preserving the future for all. I could list for you the actors and write about their notable performances but this ensemble cast all performed as expected from such talented and seasoned actors.

Xmen Days of Future Past Publicity photo

I love the X men movies but one of my biggest problems with them has always been the character of Wolverine. I’m not saying I don’t like the character or Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of him. I just didn’t think they quite nailed the attitude of Wolverine. The Wolverine from the comic is all attitude and it does seem like every movie gets a little closer but this latest movie is the best of the Wolverine character so far. He is full of attitude and it is awesome. It’s like the Wolverine from the comic book has finally leapt off the pages and onto the screen.

The Cinematography needs a special mention. The visuals are completely epic and there are certain scenes I would like to

Wolverine Comic

talk about but I don’t want to give away any spoilers. If you don’t want any spoiler information at all than don’t read the rest of this paragraph. I’m not going to give away much but there is a scene when Eric is broken out of confinement by Professor X that you should pay close attention to. There are things and techniques used in this scene that I have never seen before.

 

 

I give this movie a solid four and a half stars.

Professor X

X-Men comic

Filmmaking Tips and Thoughts on the Industry from Do-It-All Director Steven Soderbergh

Filmmaking Tips and Thoughts on the Industry from Do-It-All Director Steven Soderbergh.

Steven Soderbergh is the real deal. He’s an Academy Award winning director and one of the only ones working at this level that shoots and edits his own films. In this video he offers some advice and tips that we all could benefit from.

Get on Up (2014)

Get on Up (2014) – IMDb.

 

Get On Up Movie Poster

It’s surprising to me just how little I knew about James Brown. I thoroughly enjoyed this biopic starring Chadwick Boseman as James Brown and directed by Tate Taylor. This film does a great job of showcasing his genious and utter determination. Chadwick Boseman surprised me; he embodied the essence of James Brown. Let’s be honest that had to be a hard role to nail down. James Brown is such an individual and so essential to the evolvement of popular music that it would be hard for anyone to capture that. Chadwick Boseman is brilliant in his portrayal and I can’t imagine that anyone else could have done better. Tate Taylor did an adequate job directing this film but I feel that at times the movie suffers from unnecessary campiness that breaks the reality of the story. I took away from this film a feeling that I understood the man and not just the music and because of such I feel that the filmmakers did their job. Over all I give this film 3 and a half stars.

 

Getting it Done

A little chill time

A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)

A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) – IMDb.

I got to be honest with you, the trailer did not do this movie justice. I watched the trailer and really just didn’t want to see this movie. I thought it was going to be insanely stupid and that the jokes were going to go way to far. I decided to watch it mainly for the purposes of writing this review. I’m so glad I did…..This movie was crazy funny. I laughed almost nonstop from the opening of the film till the closing credits. Once the movie was over I just wanted to go back and watch it again. Seth Macfarlane is downright hysterical and his performance is very underrated in this film. We all know he can write comedy. He’s proven that time and again but who would have thought he could carry a comedy lead himself. Well he sure can. He isn’t the only reason to check this out though, Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson are great in this film as well. Liam Neeson’s character is a little bit over the top but that’s is what you have to expect when dealing with this kind of movie. It reminded me a lot of the old classic “The Shakiest Gun in The West” with Don Knotts. I give this movie four stars and a huge recommendation. I think this might be one of those movies that you either love or you hate. Well you can see which side of the fence I’m on.

Doing a little dance

God I love the Stash

Attention Filmmakers: HBO’s ‘Project Greenlight’ Reboot I | Shadow and Act

Attention Filmmakers: HBO’s ‘Project Greenlight’ Reboot I | Shadow and Act.

Yes…..There is not a better show out there for filmmakers. The chance to direct a major Hollywood movie is the prize for the winner. The competition is stiff but you never know what can happen till you try.

Here is my Submission to this contest….Check it out and wish me luck…….

 

 

Man of Steel (2013) – IMDb

Man of Steel (2013) – IMDb.

 

Man of Steel Movie Poster

Superman….Superman….Superman…. I chose to review the latest big screen attempt at bringing the last son of Krypton to life. Any movie about Superman is going to be unfairly compared to the classic Richard Donner film. I say unfairly because the aforementioned was filmed in the late seventies and filmmaking has changed quite a bit sense then and lets be honest the Richard Donner film was not perfect either but they were able to give you the first real sense that a man could fly. As a child I loved the movie and as an adult I still do but mainly because it reminds me of being a child. I could go on and on about that movie and some of the aspects, especially with story, that I would change but that is not the purpose of this critique.

 Man of Steel was, at first appearance, a completely epic film; there was tons of action. In fact the last half of the movie was one big action scene. I believe the filmmakers were attempting to resolve a lot of fan complaints about the panned Brian Singer film “Superman Returns.” One of the biggest complaints was that Superman never threw a punch. In an effort to not make the same mistake again they brought the action to a whole new level. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing, I’m all for Superman getting his hands dirty and the destruction that would lay in his wake. I just don’t want the story to get sacrificed in the process. That is exactly what happens here. The relationship with Lois felt odd and unnatural and I think that her character was under-developed. I didn’t feel any chemistry and the closeness that they demonstrated so quickly just felt wrong. I honestly don’t feel that any character in the movie was developed fully. It was hard to build a viewer relationship with anyone on the screen. The portrayal of Superman by Henry Cavil felt forced and unnatural. I wanted to like him but it was hard to get emotionally connected. I think it would have been better if the filmmakers chose to tell the story in a more linear fashion. It would have been easier to build the proper connection over time. The only character that I thought was nailed perfectly was that of General Zod. He was the villain and you were supposed to hate him but you understood why he was doing what he was doing. He was trying to preserve his heritage and his planet. All in all I give the movie three stars.

Henry Cavill as Superman

Michael Shannon as Superman

 

Kevin Costner as Johnathan Kent

R.I.P. Robin Williams

A link to this video was tweeted by Ron Howard. It brought a tear to my eye. I, like most of the country, am still shocked and hurting over this loss. I’ve been unable to think of anything else since the news broke but this video oddly enough provided a sense of closure for me and I hope it can do the same for you. R.I.P. Robin Williams

Good Intentions – Thesis Project

I am currently in pre-production for a short narrative film called Good Intentions. Filming is scheduled to take place in October with an expected release around the end of November. The Film stars Ryan Malsom as a career criminal who is tasked with raising a daughter whom he has never met. The child’s mother goes off to fight in Afghanistan and never makes it home. The main character must decide between being a father to his daughter and maintaining the lifestyle he’s always known. This Film falls under the genre of drama. I am producing, directing, and editing. The film will be shot on location in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Inspirational Video – Pay it Forward

 

How much better would the world be if we all took a lesson from this video. Showing kindness to strangers, without thinking about how it’s going to benefit you, is it’s own reward. I witnessed a complete stranger spending half of his day to help out a bus driver who happened to get stranded on the side of the road due to mechanical failure. He spent his time, his energy, and wouldn’t leave until the bus was on the move again. I remember thinking that I wish there were more out there like him. Maybe there are…..

Gangster Squad (2013) – IMDb

Gangster Squad Movie Poster

Gangster Squad (2013) – IMDb.

 

Gangster Squad is a fictional account of the takedown of a real-life crime figure Mickey Cohen. Mickey Cohen is played brilliantly by Sean Penn. Sean Penn never ceases to amaze me at his versatility as an actor. Out of all of the roles in this movie, the role of Mickey Cohen was by far the toughest and I can’t think of anybody who could have played this better. Sean Penn’s brand of playful yet sinister is creepy and chilled me right down to the bone. Other notable performances include Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling. They play two cops on a squad aimed at taking down Cohen. There were a lot of similarities in this movie to the classic movie “The Untouchables.” I don’t know if that was planned of accidental. If I had to take an educated guess though, I would say that it was planned as a reimagining of the untouchables story.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in Gangster Squad

Sean Penn In Gangster Squad